As part of its broad vision of becoming a metaverse-focused company, Facebook announced Polar, a free iOS app that makes it easy for just about anyone to create AR filters, effects and 3D objects. Think of it like an easy-to-use implementation of the company's Spark AR platform for developers. The goal is to give creators a simple tool to design custom AR effects — perhaps glowing demonic eyes, or 3D text of your personal hashtag or slogan — that they can deploy across the web, or share with their followers.
The company plans to launch a closed beta program later this year, so it'll likely be a while before it's open to everyone. But if Facebook wants the metaverse to thrive, it'll need to loop in creators to help make some meme-worthy content. Let's just hope there's also a way to pay people for this free labor.
Since the start of the year, Oculus Quest and Quest 2 owners have had the ability to use Messenger to chat with their Facebook friends. When using the app today, you can type out a message, send pre-written phrases or use voice-to-text to communicate. Soon, you’ll also be able to call your friends.
At its Connect conference, Facebook announced it plans to bring audio calling to the platform. Later this year, the app will allow you to call contacts on any other Messenger-enabled platform. In the future, it will also allow you to invite your friends to hang out in VR destinations together.
Here's what Facebook's metaverse isn't: It's not an alternative world to help us escape from our dystopian reality, a la Snow Crash. It won't require VR or AR glasses (at least, not at first). And, most importantly, it's not something Facebook wants to keep to itself. Instead, as Mark Zuckerberg described to media ahead of today's Facebook Connect conference, the company is betting it'll be the next major computing platform after the rise of smartphones and the mobile web.
After spending the last decade becoming obsessed with our phones and tablets — learning to stare down and scroll practically as a reflex — the Facebook founder thinks we'll be spending more time looking up at the 3D objects floating around us in the digital realm. Or maybe you'll be following a friend's avatar as they wander around your living room as a hologram. It's basically a digital world layered right on top of the real world, or an "embodied internet" as Zuckerberg describes.
Before he got into the weeds for his grand new vision, though, Zuckerberg also preempted criticism about looking into the future now, as the Facebook Papers paint the company as a mismanaged behemoth that constantly prioritizes profit over safety. While acknowledging the seriousness of the issues the company is facing, noting that it'll continue to focus on solving them with "industry-leading" investments, Zuckerberg said:
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
"The reality is is that there's always going to be issues and for some people... they may have the view that there's never really a great time to focus on the future... From my perspective, I think that we're here to create things and we believe that we can do this and that technology can make things better. So we think it's important to to push forward."
Given the extent to which Facebook, and Zuckerberg in particular, have proven to be untrustworthy stewards of social technology, it's almost laughable that the company wants us to buy into its future. But, like the rise of photo sharing and group chat apps, Zuckerberg at least has a good sense of what's coming next. And for all of his talk of turning Facebook into a metaverse company, he's adamant that he doesn't want to build a metaverse that's entirely owned by Facebook. He doesn't think other companies will either. Like the mobile web, he thinks every major technology company will contribute something towards the metaverse. He's just hoping to make Facebook a pioneer.
"Instead of looking at a screen, or today, how we look at the Internet, I think in the future you're going to be in the experiences, and I think that's just a qualitatively different experience," Zuckerberg said. It's not quite virtual reality as we think of it, and it's not just augmented reality. But ultimately, he sees the metaverse as something that'll help to deliver more presence for digital social experiences — the sense of being there, instead of just being trapped in a zoom window. And he expects there to be continuity across devices, so you'll be able to start chatting with friends on your phone and seamlessly join them as a hologram when you slip on AR glasses.
A simulated preview of Horizon Home.
Facebook
But, of course, the metaverse won't be built in a day. At Facebook Connect today, the company announced several ways it's moving towards making it more accessible. For one, Facebook will be transforming the Oculus Quest's Home interface into "Horizon Home," a more fully featured environment where you can invite friends and hang out virtually. Eventually, you'll also be able to build and customize your home space. The Venues app is also becoming "Horizon Venues," where it'll continue to serve as Facebook's prime spot for live virtual events. (The company also says NBA games are coming back to Venues in early November.)
The company is also making a major push for developers: its new Presence Platform offers through APIs that'll allow devs to make more inventive VR apps. The Insight SDK will let them take advantage of the Quest 2's cameras to bring the real world into VR; the Interaction SDK opens up the door for more hand-tracking interactions; and the Voice SDK will — you guessed it — let you use your words in more ways.
The Insight SDK, in particular, could reshape what Quest VR experiences could look like. It includes Spatial Anchors, which will let virtual objects persist across sessions in a space. So if you placed a VR pet bunny on your coffee table, it should always be there every time you logged into an app. Additionally, there's a Scene Understanding feature, which can help developers get a better sense of your physical space. A character talking to you in VR could, for example, wander around your living room without bumping into furniture.
Facebook
When it comes to augmented reality, Facebook also has plenty of upgrades in store for its Spark AR platform. For one, it's planning to launch an iOS app called Polar that'll let people design their own AR effects and objects without any coding. It's aimed at creators, who could use it to build unique 3D signage or makeup effects that their followers can apply. More experienced devs will also be able to create Geo-anchored objects, which are tied to specific locations in the real world, as well as AR effects that track your hands and body. They can also try out building group video chats for Messenger, something that'll eventually be supported in other apps.
Like HoloLens and HTC Vive, Facebook plans to make a bigger push into enterprises with Quest for Business. It's a way for employees to log into Quest 2 headsets with secure work accounts (it's probably not great for your boss to see how often you're playing Beat Saber, after all). Since they're meant for office environments, IT departments will also be able to manage work accounts, specific devices and integrate their own security features. The key is that it's all going to be accessible on consumer-grade Quest 2 headsets, Facebook won't have to make entirely new hardware for work environments.
The company plans to take it slow with Quest for Business. It's currently being tested with a few companies now, and a wider beta is expected to come next year. At this point, Facebook isn't planning to officially roll it out to every company until 2023. Quest for Business will replace the previous Oculus for Business program, which required a special $799 Quest 2 headset.
Facebook already showed off one way remote meetings could be handled better with Horizon Workrooms, and that app is going to get better later this year with customizable workrooms. And when it comes to productivity, the company is also opening up the Oculus Store to 2D apps like Slack, Dropbox, Instagram and Facebook. You'll be able to dive into those apps right from your Horizon Home screen. It's convenient, but it's also a cheeky way to keep you from taking off your headset just to answer a Slack message.
Not everyone would want to spend a whole workday wearing a VR headset, but it's not hard to imagine how future AR glasses could let you dive into Slack and Office apps just about anywhere. They'll just be 2D projections floating around you, things that nobody else would be able to see. That may seem like science fiction today, but 15 years ago, so did the idea of having a touchscreen-enabled supercomputer in your pocket with blazing fast wireless internet.
As Zuckerberg sees it, the metaverse will ultimately lead to a more natural relationship with technology. "It's not about you spending more time on screens," he told press before making a hasty retreat. "It's about making the time we spend better and I think you know screens can't really convey the full sense of presence."
If you’re a Google Fi subscriber, the next time you phone someone your call may be protected by end-to-end encryption. The MVNO will start rolling out support for the privacy-minded feature to Android phones in the coming weeks. Once it’s available on your device, it will kick in automatically anytime you call another Fi subscriber.
You’ll know you’re about to make an encrypted call thanks to the special audio and visual cues Google has added to the phone app. A lock icon will appear on your screen as you’re about to be connected to your contact, and it will remain on-screen during the call. You’ll also hear a different ring tone when you’re dialing someone who has a compatible device.
If it wasn’t already clear, how much value you will get out of encrypted calling will depend on how many of your friends and family also happen to be Fi subscribers and they’re using Android phones. As things stand, there’s a chance you may never hear the ringtone that indicates your call is secure.
In that way, encrypted calling on Fi is much like RCS was a few years ago. It’s a protocol without support from carriers. If you’re concerned about keeping your calls private, your best bet is to look elsewhere. That said, it’s a nice-to-have and way for Google to differentiate its wireless service.
Panasonic’s GH5 was such an iconic vlogging camera that Panasonic unveiled two Micro Four Thirds successors to replace it. The $2,500 GH6, due to arrive later this year, has major upgrades like 4K 120p and even 5.7K video. The other is the model I’m reviewing today, the $1,700 GH5 II.
As the name suggests, the GH5 II is more of a refresh, with the same 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor. However, it has an all-new processor that delivers significant improvements in speed, video quality and AI smarts. Best of all, it’s $300 less than the GH5 was at launch.
The big question is whether it’s worth getting this model, waiting for the GH6, or even purchasing an older GH5 that’s now steeply discounted. To find out, I tested the GH5 II’s new features, video quality, autofocus and more — here’s what I found out.
Body and handling
Steve Dent/Engadget
If you’re already familiar with the GH5, you’ll be very comfortable with the GH5 II — the bodies are nearly identical. That’s a good thing, because it still out-handles many newer cameras, thanks to the excellent grip and logical control positions.
There are a few key changes, though. While the rear display is a little smaller at 3 inches instead of 3.2 inches, it has slightly more resolution and is significantly brighter. That fixes one of the biggest issues with the GH5: its relatively dim display.
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) carries the same 3.68 million dot resolution and .76x magnification, but has double the refresh rate at 120Hz. That makes a noticeable difference in image quality; more so than a resolution bump in my opinion. However, it also drains the battery a touch faster.
Another nice improvement is the addition of USB-C PD compatibility that can charge the battery more quickly. And it comes with a more powerful DMW-BLK22 battery, the same one found in the company’s full-frame S5 camera. While it’s still CIPA-rated for 410 shots like the GH5, it delivers a few more minutes of video recording.
Steve Dent/Engadget
The GH5 II has better menus than the GH5, gaining those introduced on the GH5s. It’s a color coded, tabbed menu system with hints to find the option you’re looking for. It also has the info panel from Panasonic’s pro Varicam models (also available on the GH5s), that show important settings at a glance. Another feature for pro shooters is dual zebra controls that let you check two levels at once, like highlights and skin tones.
As with the GH5, the new model has dual UHS II card slots, but they now support the maximum V90 (300 MB/s) speeds. That’ll ensure stable capture if you’re using the new All-I 4K video settings at up to 400 Mbps, or let the buffer clear faster if you’re snapping photos.
Video performance
There are several subtle, but important changes to the video capabilities of the GH5. A key one is an update to the image stabilization system. It now delivers up to 6.5 EV of shake protection, up by 1.5 EV over the GH5. When working with compatible lenses and using the IS boost mode, it’s designed to provide more steady shots, even if you’re walking or moving.
No in-camera stabilization system is ever going to beat a gimbal. However, the GH5 II does a better job than most mirrorless cameras I’ve tried at smoothing out walking or running, provided you’re reasonably careful. More importantly, it makes handheld camera pans and other motion smoother than the GH5 does. If you need some extra stabilization, there’s an electronic mode that does help, though it crops in slightly.
Another key change is with the autofocus system. In general, continuous autofocus for video is faster and smoother than before, though you’ll still see a tiny bit of hunting or wobble that’s unavoidable with a contrast-detect-only AF system. As before, the system works better at higher frame rates when it has more information to work with.
Steve Dent/Engadget
The GH5 II also brings some AI autofocus smarts that couldn’t be added via firmware to the GH5 because of its relatively old processor. It offers double the face and eye-tracking speeds, and can pick up focus when a face is tilted away from the camera. It can recognize heads and human bodies, making tracking more feasible if a person is turning or moving towards or away from the camera. It adds new animal tracking features that can handle most pets and some types of wildlife, as well.
With these features enabled, it’s easier to keep someone in focus if they or you are moving. Again, this works best at higher frame-rates, but overall, the improved focus hit rates make the camera more practical for vlogging or run-and-gun work, especially for solo operators. Animal tracking is also pretty useful, particularly if pets and/or kids are running around.
Is the GH5’s subject tracking as good as on Canon or especially Sony’s latest mirrorless cameras? No, because both of those brands use phase-detect systems that can nail focus directly without any wobble. Sony’s latest models, particularly the A1 and A7S III, also have uncannily fast tracking capabilities that Panasonic has yet to match. Still, the new model is a big step up from the GH5 and certainly good enough for many types of projects.
Video quality
Steve Dent/Engadget
Video made the GH5 popular, as it was far ahead of the competition for the price when it first arrived. Five years on, it’s getting pretty old, though, so a new processor helped Panasonic boost the GH5 II’s specs in line with what it’s done on full-frame models like the S5.
To that end, the new model now offers 10-bit 4:2:0 4K and C4K (4,096 x 2,160) video at up to 60 fps, rather than just 8-bit video at 60p as before. That makes it better for slow-mo or high frame-rate video if you want to use log or HDR video settings. Like the GH5, it can also handle 6K 30p anamorphic (4,992 x 3,774) with 10-bit, 4:2:0 color settings. And where All-I capture was limited to 24/25 fps on the GH5, the GH II can now do it at up to 30 fps.
Though the GH5 II comes with VLog-L shooting out of the box, it's limited to 12 stops of dynamic range rather than 13 like Panasonic’s BGH1 box camera and other recent models. Panasonic also introduced two new video modes, Cinelike D2 and Cinelike V2, that let you shoot log-like video with less hassle. Those deliver slightly more saturated colors and improved skin tones than the original Cinelike D and V modes.
Like other newer models, the GH5 II shows a red frame around the screen while recording, along with aspect ratio guides and a TikTok-style portrait video mode. With the same sensor, the GH5 II has pretty much the same readout speeds, so as before, rolling shutter is present but well controlled.
Steve Dent/Engadget
The GH5 II can now capture video simultaneously to an external recorder over the HDMI port, unlike the GH5. However, it can’t capture RAW video like the S5, for instance. Hopefully, that and the limited VLog-L dynamic range will be addressed in future firmware updates.
With all those tweaks, the GH5 II delivers sharp video with high levels of color accuracy for demanding work. It handles skin tones well and colors are natural and accurate. Low-light shooting is not its strong point, though, due to the smaller sensor size. For that, you’d be better off with either the GH5s or one of Panasonic’s newer full-frame models.
The new video quality changes are subtle, but could be helpful for certain types of work. Overall, it delivers the video quality everyone liked from the GH5, plus a little more.
Live Streaming
Steve Dent/Engadget
A key new feature for the GH5 II is the ability to broadcast live on the web, either using WiFi or a USB-C. The latter will require a firmware update that essentially allows the GH5 II’s USB-C port to be used as a wired LAN connection, however.
You can either stream to a smartphone via WiFi using the Lumix Sync app, or stream directly over WiFi without the need for a PC or phone. The latter requires you to use the Lumix Network software for PC or Mac to write your streaming settings to an SD card. Since it uses the RTMP/RTMPS standard, it supports YouTube, Facebook and other services. Better still, it supports camera audio as well as video.
Live streaming does require a robust connection, however, as I struggled to maintain a livestream in the countryside with a 16 Mbps connection. You won’t want to use the maximum 1080p 60 fps settings unless you have internet speed well above 16 Mbps.
Photos
With the same sensor as the GH5, the GH5 II delivers much the same image quality and photo shooting specs, including 12 fps burst shooting speeds. Where it has improved, though, is in the autofocus features, particularly with tracking.
The G9 was always a better photo camera than the GH5, as it had a noticeably quicker autofocus system. However, the GH5 II’s new processor means faster AF calculations, so the hit rate with continuous burst shooting is higher. It can also do face and eye tracking more quickly, and as with video, can handle head and body tracking, too.
With those changes, I was able to get more burst action shots in focus than I could with the GH5, whether shooting people, dogs or horses. At the same time, it tends to nail exposure more accurately than the original model.
Image quality is largely along the same lines as video, with low-light capability that gets pretty noisy above ISO 3200 or so, but sharp, color-accurate photos in good light. As before, it’s best not to let your highlights get too blown out as they’re difficult to recover when shooting RAW.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent/Engadget
The GH5 II is a worthy upgrade to the original, bringing enough improvements and new technology to justify its existence. Given that the all-new GH6 model is coming soon as well, it’s clear that Panasonic is still committed to small sensor, video-centric mirrorless cameras.
Video has modestly improved, and it’s better for handheld shooting thanks to the improved stabilization. Autofocus is still a drawback but it’s faster and more reliable than before. It would be nice if it supported RAW external capture, but that’s probably not a dealbreaker for most users. It can handle stills reasonably well, though it’s not the camera’s strong point.
Other cameras have caught up with the GH5 II in terms of video performance, but most, like the Canon R6 ($2,500) and Nikon Z6 II ($2,000) are more expensive. Fujifilm’s $1,700 X-T4 is a better choice if you want a larger sensor and shoot a lot of photos, but it lacks the streaming capabilities. Its biggest rival may be the original GH5 that can now be found for $1,300, if you don’t need the video streaming or other features. In any case, the GH5 II is now the best Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera for video. At least until the GH6 comes along.
The Apple TV app has reached its final frontier: your cable provider's set-top box. According to Variety, Comcast used its latest earnings call to reveal that the Apple TV app will be available on Comcast's platforms in the "coming months." Viewers with Xfinity X1 set-tops, Flex streaming hubs, XClass TVs and (in the UK and Europe) Sky Glass sets will have access to Apple TV+, in-app channels (like AMC+ and Showtime) and Apple's usual video purchases and rentals.
In exchange, Comcast is bringing its Xfinity Stream app to Apple TV hardware. The move will let you use the Apple TV device either as a set-top stand in or to watch broadcasts on someone else's TV when you're away.
This may be a more significant expansion than it seems. Apple's streaming video app is available on many smart TVs, dedicated media players and game consoles in addition to the company's own products, but there are many people whose cable box is the smartest device in the living room. This brings Apple TV+ to many people who wouldn't even consider a service if it required a new TV or any device beyond the ones included with their cable subscriptions.
Robot vacuums can be expensive, and if you want one with a base that automatically collects dirt, it'll cost you even more. But now you can get one of Shark's most advanced models for the lowest price we've seen. The Shark IQ RV1001AE robot vacuum with clean base is 47 percent off, bringing it down to $319. That's more than $280 off its normal price and the lowest we've seen it — not to mention that also makes it even cheaper than most iRobot devices that come with clean bases, even when they've been on sale.
We've been fans of Shark's robot vacuums since one of its cheaper models made it into our budget robot vacuum guide. Originally priced at $600, the RV1001AE is one of Shark's higher-end robo-vacs with powerful suction and a self-cleaning brush roll. The latter ensures that hair won't get tangled in the brush, making this vacuum a good pick for pet owners. In addition to Shark's IQ navigation, it also maps out your home as it cleans so you can tell it to only clean the living room or the kitchen by using the mobile app. And if you don't want to bother with manual cleanings, you can set a schedule in the mobile app, too, and let the robot do all the work.
This robot vacuum also cleans itself — it'll automatically empty its bin into the clean base that comes with it. Yes, you'll have to empty the base once every month or so, but that's much more convenient than having to remember to dump out the robot's contents every time. Also, Shark's clean base is bagless, so you don't have to buy proprietary liners like you do with other robots that come with similar bases.
If you can live without the clean base, a few other Shark vacuums — both robot and not — are on sale right now, too. Of note is the Shark IQ AV970, which is down to $250. That's $150 off its normal price and close to its all-time low of $230. It has many of the same features as the RV1001AE, including a self-cleaning brush roll, IQ navigation and Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. Aside from the clean base, you'll have to forgo home mapping with this model, but you'll get an extra-large dust bin, which allows the robot to suck up more dirt and debris before you need to empty it.
Nikon has officially unveiled its new flagship mirrorless camera, the $5,500, 45.7-megapixel Z9 with 8K 30p video and up to 20 fps RAW burst shooting speeds. It's Nikon's first camera to use a stacked sensor with built in memory that allows for very fast readout speeds. In fact, Nikon is so confident in the electronic shutter that it has abandoned the mechanical shutter entirely, so the Z9 is the first high-end professional camera without one.
With that high-speed sensor (which has the same megapixel count as the Z7 II), the Z9 allows a flash sync of up to 1/200th of a second, which looks like the fastest sync speed ever for an electronic shutter. That should also make it very resistant to rolling shutter, which is crucial if the camera is to be used for sports or action photography.
The faster sensor allows JPEG burst shooting at up to 30 fps, or RAW photos at 20 fps. If you're willing to drop down to 11 megapixels, you can shoot photos at an astounding 120 fps. As with other stacked sensor cameras, the Nikon Z has much improved buffering, letting you capture up to 1,000 frames at once with either JPEG or the new HE (high efficiency) RAW compression algorithms.
Nikon
Nikon's autofocus (AF) system is also all-new, and makes even more extensive use of AI algorithms. Much like Canon's EOS R3, it can now track a wide range of subjects, including the eyes, faces and bodies of people, along with dogs, cats and birds, planes, trains, motorbike and bicycles. And unlike other AI cameras, there's no need to tell it what you're shooting — the camera will figure that out if you set it to "Auto" (or, you can set the subject type manually). It also offers a "3D tracking" system much like you can find on Nikon's DSLRs. All of this falls into line with the Z9's purpose as a sports/action/wildlife photography camera.
Nikon has also improved its in-body stabilization system (which it calls "vibration reduction" or VR). Now, it can combine in-body and lens stabilization system for steadier video or fewer blurry photos. This will only be available with several lenses to begin with, however, namely the Nikkor Z 70-200m F/2.8, Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR and freshly announced Z 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VR S.
Video performance is equally impressive. The Z3 will be able to capture 8K at 30p at launch, along with oversampled 4K 30p from an 8K capture that should be incredibly sharp. If you don't mind pixel binning or line skipping, it will also be able to capture 4K at up to 120 fps.
To start with, you'll be able to capture these formats at up to 10-bit with H.264 or H.265 long GOP codecs. On top of that, Nikon is offering the very useful option of capturing video with ProRes 422 HQ compression, which is much easier to edit straight out of the camera.
Things will get even more interesting later on, though. Nikon plans to introduce a future firmware update that will enable 12-bit 8K 60fps capture in a new, proprietary N-RAW format or using Apple ProRes RAW HQ capture at 4K/60p. Nikon promises that you'll be able to capture the oversampled 4K/30p for more than two hours at "normal" temperatures.
The Z9 has a large pro-style body with controls about where you'd expect them, other than a repositioned play button and AF button near the front. It uses dual CFexpress Type B slots (backward compatible with XQD) for maximum performance for video and burst photos. The new large, EN-EL18d battery is rated for up to 740 shots per charge with the LCD, or 700 shots with the EVF enabled.
It has a 3.69 million dot OLED viewfinder with just a 60 fps refresh rate, but Nikon said that it always delivers that speed and never downgrades it. It uses a multi-direction rear LCD and not a fully-articulating screen, but you can tilt t he screen up to face yourself.
With the Z9, Nikon has taken some of the best aspects of Canon's EOS R3 and the Sony A1 and married them into a single, large body. It falls a bit short of those models in terms of shooting speed, and the electronic viewfinder isn't too impressive on paper. However, Nikon seems to have vaulted ahead of both Sony and Canon in terms of video specs, but we'll have to wait and see if video autofocus is up to snuff. The Nikon Z9 will arrive by the end of the year in the US for $5,500 for the body only.
Google hasn’t given up on Android tablets. Even though, looking at the last few years, it probably should have. I’m (half) joking, but bigger-screened Android devices have felt like an afterthought for a while, as iPads or Windows-powered hybrids cleaned up at the high-end, and cheap devices for families and workplaces offered a mostly smartphone experience with more screen real estate.
Enter Android 12L. It’s designed for bigger screens, including foldables and even laptops. It boils down to a set of new features for the existing OS that are optimized for big screens. While Android can handle a (sort of) multi-window experience, parts of the interface still end up feeling like a blown-up version of a phone OS, rather than something that makes better use of the increased space. One of the things coming to Android 12L is a two-column layout for the notification shade and lockscreen when the system detects that the screen is above 600dps wide. Android is even adding a taskbar which is all very... Chromebook.
We've been hearing about Intel's powerful hybrid processors for so long, but finally the company is ready to launch those chips, previously codenamed "Alder Lake," as its 12th-gen desktop CPUs. And maybe, just maybe, it'll be able to steal the spotlight back from AMD and Apple.
Intel says 12th-gen chips are up to 19 percent faster than 11th-gen overall, and they're twice as fast in the Adobe After Effects Pulse benchmark. When it comes to multithreaded performance (tasks built specifically for more than one core, like video and 3D rendering), the company claims the top-end i9-12900K is 50 percent faster than last year's comparable chip from Intel while using less power. Better still, it can achieve performance parity using only around a quarter of the power. Basically, everyone who held off on upgrading over the last few years could be in for a treat.
The new hybrid core design will make Intel’s new chips look similar to AMD’s big.LITTLE technology found on smartphone CPUs, combining energy-efficient cores for lightweight tasks with heavy-lifting (but more energy-hungry) cores.
Apple's built a lot of tools into its new FaceTime feature.
iOS 15.1 was released yesterday, which means you can finally start checking out Apple's long-awaited SharePlay feature. The feature still only works with a small collection of apps at the moment, but it's coming soon to Disney+, while the NBA and TikTok apps will be updated today to support it. But, er, how do you use it? First step is: update your device.
The Xperia 1 III is another Sony phone aimed at camera fans. It sidesteps software processing tricks, popularized by phones like the Pixel series, instead showcasing Sony’s camera smarts in features like focus tracking and fine-grain controls. I put the phone through its paces, and while the gorgeous 4K screen can run at a smooth 120Hz, specs like this come at an almost prohibitive price ($1,300!), making it harder to recommend against the best smartphones from Samsung and Apple.
With four movies under its belt, the Toy Story franchise remains the crown jewel in Pixar's portfolio. But after Toy Story 4 seemingly wrapped up Woody's story, the focus is now shifting to Buzz Lightyear. The first trailer for Lightyear has just arrived, and it seems less about ‘toy’ Buzz, and more about the titular character himself.
Twitter has rolled out Labs for its Blue subscription service, which will give its paid users early access to select experimental features. At the moment, one of the first two Labs experiments available to subscribers will give them the capability to upload videos up to 10 minutes long, which is much, much longer than its standard limit of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. That is, so long as they upload their video from a PC. The other experimental feature will allow them to pin their favorite conversations at the top of their inbox by swiping on those particular DM convos.
Labs will accept experimental features from various internal Twitter teams, allowing them to get early data from users. Just like any other test feature, the Labs experiments could be vastly different by the time they're ready for general release, if Twitter does decide to roll them out.
Like being ahead of the curve?
Today, we’re rolling out Labs 🔬, giving you *early access* to some new features we’re building before everyone else like: 🔹 Pinned Conversations on iOS 🔹 Longer video uploads on desktop only
A Blue subscription will set users back $3 a month and will give them access to exclusive features, including folders for organizing bookmarks and a "reader mode." It also gives users a way to "undo" their tweets. At the moment, it's only available in Canada and Australia, and it's still unclear when it will roll out in the US and other countries.
